Sheet-feeding machine.



H. 0. LA BATT.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 190a. RENEWED JAN. 10, 1010.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' liomer afiaf;

H. 0. LA BATT. SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.18, 1903. RENEWED JAN. 10. 1910.

i3 @9@ %7%. Patented Apr. 7, 19m

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zbmer/fafiaf entree STATES earner enric HOMER 0. LA BATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, T0 WILLIAM J. HERRICK.

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

Application filed December 18, 1903, Serial No. 185,62 R n wed January 10, 1910. Serial No. 537,837.

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicage, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Feeding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto improvements in machines designed to feed sheets of paper successively from a'suitably supported pile or stack to printing, ruling, folding and similar machines.

One of the objects of the invention is to generally improve the structure of such machines, particularly with reference to the means for holding the pile during the feeding 0d or delivery of the top sheet. and also upon the withdrawal of the top sheet by the bucklers which operate upon the rear or side edges of thesheet to raise the same for the initial separation. I

A further object of the invention is to so sup ort or mount the holding means and hue ders that they.may be adjusted independently of each other in order to secure uniform efficiency in the machine irrespective of variations in the thickness or flexibility of the paper.

The inventionconsists of the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter particularly described and designated inv the appended claims, and it is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a sheet feeding machine, substantially on the line ma: of Fig. 2 and showing the feeding ofi rolls, front feeding mechanism, one of the rear bucklers and one of the holding devices of my invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the rear end of the machine shownin Fig. 1 and showing particularly the holding devices and the rear bucklers and the means for communicating motion thereto; Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line y-g of Fig. 2, illustrating the holding device in its normal position and after the top sheet has been buckled and withdrawn from under the same, Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the holding device in its elevated position to relieve the pressure on the pile and permit of the buckling of the top sheet; Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation of the holding device, looking in the direction of the arrow "Fig. 6; Fig. 6 isa plan view of the holding is not material.

device; and Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the presser foot.

in the operation of machines of the type to which the present. invention relates, the lnltial separation of the top sheet from the pile or stack is effected at the rear, and in illustrating in the present instance one embodiment of the invention I have shown in the drawings only such parts as are necessary to show the'operation of the machine so far as the separation and delivery of the paper are concerned. Such means comprise suitable bucklers acting on the rear of the top sheet, devices for holding the pile'after the initial separation of the top sheet and during the delivery of the sheet and feeding devices for delivering the paper to the feeding ofi rolls which are located at the front of the machine and serve to eject the sheet from the machine and deliver it to the associated printing press, binder, or folder, etc.

The invention is concerned especially with the holding devices which are associated with the bucklers. These devices will be particularly described and the novelty clearly pointed out, while only such general description of the associated parts will be given as may be necessary to disclose the operation of the machine and the cooperation of the novel elements. I

The stack or pile of sheets S to be fed to the printing press, folder or other machine is carried by a table T, which is designed to maintain the top sheet of the ile in such position as to be operated upon by the bucklin and feeding devices, and. may be automatlcally adjusted by any suitable mechanism adapted to attain this result. The table T is carried by a suitable supporting frame A, which forms the base or support upon which the various operative parts or elements of the machine are mounted. The frame is provided at its front end with suitable journal boxes in which is mounted a shaft S, and this shaft may be driven by any suitable mechanism. In the practical operation of the machine I prefer to take the power to drive the shaft S by a connection from the press, folder or other machine with which the feeder is associated, although this The shaft S is provided with disks 8 which are ada tedto cooperate with disks a, fixed on a s aft 8 suitably 'journaled on the frame, to feed ofi the sheet or eject it from the feeder to'the associated machine after it has been preliminarily sepa- I also be of any desired character.

rated from the pile, as hereinafter described. This mechanism may also be of any suitable character and operated in any preferred manner. The mechanism for delivering the sheets to the feeding off mechanism may In the construction illustrated, the feeding devices B employed for this purpose are supported by stubs or guide rods a extending fromthe hearings in which the shaft S is journaled and parallel with the sides of the table. Only one of the feeding devices is shown, although it is to be understood that a plurality are preferably employed and located at suitable points along the width of the machine.

The feeding devices are actuated by operating connections located at opposite sides of the machine and one of such connections is shown in Fig. 1. The connections referred to in this respect being similar, a description of one will serve for both. Reciprocating on the guide rod a at each side of the machine is a sleeve a which is provided with an uprightor standard a upon which is slidingly mounted a block 0 held in its lower position by means of a coil spring aPinterposed between the block a and a washer a on the end of the upright. The block a supports one end of a rod a" upon which the heads B are adjustably carried. The sleeve a is reciprocated longitudinally and on its guide rod a by means of a link a which is v pivotally attached at one end to an ear a on the sleeve and at its opposite end to a disk 5 on the adjacent end of a shaft S which is mounted in any suitable manner on the frame and operated by any preferred means as by a connection with the shaft S. The block a is raised on its upright against the spring a by an arm a, which is pivoted at a to a riser a. secured on the frame at the rear of the disk 8 and freely engages the block at its front end. The arm a is provided with an antifriction roller a which is in the path of a cam portion a of thedisk s". to lift the parts against the stress of the spring a. I

Inv the operation of the front feeding devices just described through the medium of the mechanism at the opposite sides of the machine the feeders have imparted thereto a vertical and a horizontal movement. These movements are so timed that as the sheet is buckled at the rear the feedersare drawn rearward and then lowered into engagement with the top sheet. The feeders are next moved forward carrying the sheet with them to the feed off mechanism and are. then elevated out of engagement with the sheet.

A pair of guide rods A, one on each side of the machine, extends rearwardl from the risers a heretofore mentione These guide rods form the support for an adjustable carriage which carries the rear bucklers and-the holding devices associated therewith. The carriage comprises the opposite or end sleeves 0 mounted on, and adapted to slide longitudinally with reference to the guide rods A, and the pair of cross rods or shafts and c which are mounted at their ends in the'sleeves c. The sleeves c are locked against movement on the guide rods A by means of set screws 0. The front-shaft c is adapted to rotate in its bearings, as hereinafter described, but the rear shaft or rod 0 is fixed against movement. The adjustability of the carriage upon the guides A permits the devices carried thereby to be set at any'desired point over the longitudinal area of the paper table, thereby adapting the machine to operate upon sheets of different sizes.

At one side of the machine is a longitudinal shaft. S, the rear end of which is shown in Fig. 2. This shaft may be journaled in any suitable manner and have motion com-. municated thereto through themedium of a connection with a driven part of the ma chine, as the main drive shaft S, or from any other suitable source. The rearend of the shaft S extends approximately to the rearof the machine, and is provided with a key way or groove 8 as shown in Fig. 2. The shaft 0 isrotated from the shaft S To this end the latter is provided with a spiral gear 8", which engages and drives a corresponding gear a on a sleeve 0 loose on the shaft 0 and shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Th gear .9 is provided with a feather or spline to engage the groove 8. of the shaft 8, and is moved'along its shaft by means of the inwardly projecting portions 0 of the carriage when the latter is moved on the guides A. Motion is communicated from the sleeve 0 to the shaft 0 by means of the ellipticals ur gear a on the sleeve and loose on the s a t cflwhich engages a correspond ing gear a fixed on the shaft 0 By this means the rotation of the shaft 0 is given a varying speed, the pafts bein so adjusted that the slow speed of the sha' t shall occur while the bucklers that are driven thereby are in engagement with the paper, and the accelerated speed shall occur while the bucklers are out of engagement with the paper.

The rear carriage supports a pair of bucklersor pick ups which are adapted to operate upon the rear or side edges of the sheet and raise thetop sheet from the pile for the initial separation. These bucklers may be of any desired construction and adapted to operate in any preferred manher. In the present instance each buckler illustrated comprises a carrier E which is in the shape of a block having lateral ears provided with openings for the cross shafts or rods 0 c ,-and adapted to slide longitudinally upon such shafts, being held at aoeaava any desired point of adjustment laterally and with reference to the width of the sheets by means of suitable set screws e adapted to bear against the stationary shaft or rod '0 Carried by the block E is a rotating or the pads P are operated and which permit tion and operation of the same.

the inflowing currents of air, supplied in any suitable manner and as is common. with such machines, to pass beneath the sheet and separate its entiresurface from the next sheet. The holders F arecarried on the shaft 0 and are adjustably secured thereon so that they may be set to agree with the different adjustments of the bucklers. These holders F may be of any suitable construction.

The mechanism heretofore described forms the subject matter of my Patent No. 968,062, datedAugust 23, 1910, and reference is made to such patent-for a more complete description of the details of construc- I do not, however, limit myself in the present instance to the particular devices shown and described for buckling, feeding and delivering the sheets, as my invention contemplates and includes any suitable devices that areadapted to accomplish the same results and which may be associated with the-improved holding device or devices now to ,be described.

Mounted on and supported b the shafts or rods 0 8 so as to be capa 1e of independent adjustment and associated with each pick up or pad P, is a holding device H, which is adapted to press upon and'hold the pile with sufiicient force to prevent the pile frhm being crowded or pushed forward under'the pressure of the feeding devices when the latter are acting to deliver the top sheet, but which is automatically actuated to decrease the ressure' on the pile during the operation 0 the rear bucklers to permit of the withdrawal of the corner of the top sheet from under the holding device when the sheet is buckled.

The holding devices, one of which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, comprise, generally, a carrier associated with each of the rear bucklers and adapted to be adjusted independently of such buckler, a presser foot normally engaging the pile and under suficient pressure to prevent the movement of the pile as a whole when the top sheet is movedby the feeding devices, and means fordecreasing the pressure to such a degree as to permit of the withdrawal of t-hecorner of the top sheet from underrthe presser foot when the rear bucklers are acting. In the specific embodi' ment of the invention illustrated I employ Associated with the bucklers are holders a pair of springs of differing power or tension, one of which exerts strong pressure on the presser foot to hold the latter firmly against the pile, and a springof less power to hold the foot against the pile when the first mentioned spring is thrown out of action. These springs act in alternation on the presser foot to the end that the said foot is always under spring pressure and constantly engages the pile.

, In carrying out the invention a carrier .H is employed and provided with open- .lngs k to receive the rods or shafts 0*,

on which the carrier H is adapted to slide.

A set screw h bearing against the shaft 0 holds the carrier against movement and in its adjusted position. Extending upwardly from the carrier is a sleeve k adapted to receive and in which slides a rod it fixed to an arm h extending rearwardly from the support H carrying the presser foot H The support H", and consequently the presser foot, is maintained in a normally depressed position, so as to hold the foot firmly against the pile, by an expansion spring It, which encircles the rod h and reacts between a collar 71. on the'rod and the bottom of the sleeve h in the passage h of which the rod it is adapted to slide. The support may be elevated to relieve the foot of the pressure of the spring h by any suitable mechanism, as by means of a cam h", fixed on the shaft 0 and rotating in a bifurcation h (Fig. 6) of the carrier H, and which is adapted to engage an offset on the support H Preferably and in order to reduce friction the offset takes the form of an antifriction roller h disposed in the path of the cam when the latter is rotated, and journaled on a stud h fixed to the support. From the foregoing it will be understood that as the cam turns in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, the roller 711 is engaged thereby, thus elevating the support and taking the stress of the spring h from the foot H and placing it on the cam. This action takes place when or just before the rear bucklers engage the top sheet to buckle the corner of the same. The top sheet having been withdrawn from under the presser foot H the cam passes out of engagement with the roller h, permitting the spring h to expand and return the parts to their original positions, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the presser foot under the full stress of the spring it will bear upon, the second and under sheets to hold the pile against forward movement during the action of the feeding devices on the top sheet. The presser foot, however, is so mounted and governed that it remains constantly in engagement with the pile, although when the top sheet is being buckled the pressure thereof on the pile is suiiicient only to prevent the corner of the second sheet from being withdrawn with the top sheet when the latter is buckled, and is not sufficient to interfere with the buckling of the top sheet. Vith this object in view the presser foot is placed under the independent control or influence of a second spring h, the tension of which is greatly less than that of the spring it.

The holdingfoot H may be carried directly by the support H, but for a purpose to be explained it is carried at the lower end of a stem h, the said stem being provided with ears k between which the foot is pivoted. The foot is provided at its front end with a fiat toe H, the under face of which is normally in the plane of the surface of the pile, as shqwnin Fig. 3. Extending from the foot and rearwardly of the pivot is an extension it to which is pivoted the lower end of a vertical stem h. This stem passes through an aperture in a lug h fixed to the stem h and'is provided at its end with a shoulder h between which and the lug h" reacts the spring h which takes the form of an expansion spring coiled about the stem h. The function of the spring h is to move the foot on its pivot and maintain the same in contact with the pile when the supwith regar port H is elevated. Preferably the stem k is screw threaded and the shoulder it takes the form of a thumb nut adapted to screw upon the stem to adjust the tension of the spring to vary the pressure of the foot on the pile.

In practice each foot H engages the pile near one side edge thereof as shown in Fig. 2 and as also ther hown, each foot H is so mounted as to have the general inclination of the buckler with which it is associated, although this is not essential or particularly material. By reason of the independent ad'ustment of the holding devices to the rear bucklers the parts may be so adjusted as to deliver sheets of varying flexibility and thickness with equal facility.

In the operation of the machine, assuming the carriage upon which the bucklers and holding devices are mounted to have been properly adjusted with reference to the lonegitudinal area of the machine and the holding devices and bucklers to have been adjusted in accordance with the width of the pile and the character of the sheets to be delivered or separated, motion from the shafts S is communicated to the shaft 0 thereby actuating the buckling devices. Just prior to the engagement of the top sheet by the bucklers each cam h engages the antifrictionl-roller h of the associated holding device and elevates the support H lifting the feet H to relieve the pressure of the heavier springs, h, on the top sheet of the pile. The feet H however, under the stress of the lighter spring, it", are moved on their pivots, lowering the front ends of the feet and maintaining the toes on the top sheet under reduced pressure, as shown in Fig. 4. While the feet are held under the tension of the springs h the bucklers act upon the cornersof the top sheet and during this operation and while the air is being forced under the top sheet to separate its surface from the next sheet, the springs 72. act upon the feet to hold the latter pressed upon the pile so that only the corners of the top sheet are moved by the bucklers from under the presser feet. As soon as the corners of the sheet are withdrawn by the bucklers from under the feet H the cams pass from out of engagement with the rollers h of the supports, releasing the latter, which by the expansion of the springs h are quickly re-:

turned to their original position with the; feet in the position seen in Fig.*3.' As soon as the parts are returned so that the full eflect of the springs h iis thrown upon the presser feet the feeding devices B are op-l erated to move the sheet to the feeding off disks which eject the sheet from the machine.

Each foot is adapted to be adjusted vertically to regulate the position of the same with reference to the height of the pile of sheets so as to mantain uniform efficiency in. the operation of the machine and this adjustment is accomplishedwithout efiecting the tension of the springs it". Each support H is therefore provided with a vertical sleeve h? and the stem it of the associated holding device extends through the sleeve and is screw threaded so as to be engaged by an adjusting nut h. The nut k is seated in a, bifurcation If? in thesupport H which intersects the passage in the sleeve it. By turning the nut in the stem 71. may be raised or lowered as desired. Lateral or angular movement of the stem, and consequently of the .foot H is prevented by a screw h which passes through the sleeve h and enters a longitudinal groove in stem. By this means the stem may be adjusted vertically, but is held againstrotation.

To arrest the feet when they have reached their normal positions, that is to say with the bottom of each toe in a horizontal plane,

as shown in Fig. 3, each foot may be proabsence cent to the corners of the stack of sheets.

3. In combination with a sheet feeding -machine provided with a table, front feeding devices and a buckler, of a holding device comprising a normally depressed support under spring pressure, a presser foot carried by the support, means for elevating the support, and means to positively move the foot independently of the support when the latter is elevated.

4. In combination with a sheet feeding machine provided with a table, front feed ing devicesand a buckler, of a holding device comprising a normally depressed support under spring pressure, a pivoted presser foot carried by the .support, means for elevating the support, anda spring to move the foot independently of the support and when the latter is elevated.

a In combination with a sheet feeding machine provided with a table, front feeding devices, and buckling devices, of a holding device associated with each buckling device and comprising a normally depressed support under spring pressure, a pivoted presser foot carried by the support, means for elevating the support, and means to positively 'move the foot on its pivot when the support is elevated.

6. In combination with a sheet feeding machine provided with a table, front feeding devices, and bucklin devices, of a holding device associated wit each buckling device and comprising a normally depressed support under spring pressure, a presser foot carried by the support, means for elevating the support, 'a rod adjustable vertically on and carried by the support, a foot ivoted to the lower end of the rod and a spring for rocking the foot onits pivot when the support is elevated.

7. In combination with a sheet feedin machine and its associated buckling an feeding devices, of a support, a pivoted presser foot carried by the support, a spring for holding the support depressed, means for elevating the su port, a spring for moving the foot on its pivot when the support is elevated, and means to adjust the tension of the latter spring.

8. In combination with a sheet feeding machine and its associated buckling and feeding devices, of a support, a pivoted presser foot carried by the support, a spring for holding the support de ressed, a cam for elevating the support, an a spring of less power than the first mentioned spring for moving the foot on its pivot when the support is elevated.

9. In combination with a sheet feeding machine and its associated buckling and feed ng devices, of a support, a spring for holdmg the support depressed, a rod adjustable on the support, a presser foot pivoted to the end of the rod, and a spring of less power than the first mentioned spring for moving the foot on its pivot when the support is elevated.

10. In combination with a sheet feeding machine and its associated buckling andfeeding devices, a pair of transverse shafts one'of which is rotatable, of a support provided with an offset, a carrier mounted on the shafts and adapted to carry and guide the support, a spring for holding the support depressed, a ca to engage the offset andelevate the support, a pivoted presser foot carried by the supon the rotatable shaft port, and a spring to move the foot onv its pivot when the support is elevated.

11. In combination with a sheet feeding machine and associated buckling and feed mg devices, a pair of transverse shafts one of which is rotatable, a vertically movable support provided with an offset, a carrier mounted on the shafts and adaptedto carry and guide the support, a spring for holding the support depressed, a'cam on the rotatable shaft to engage the ofisetand elevate the support, a vertically adjustable rod mounted on'the support, a foot carried by the rod, and a spring to move the foot on its pivot when the support is elevated.

12. In combination with a sheet feeding machine and its associated buckling and feeding devices, a transverse shaft provided with a cam, a carrier provided with a vertical aperture, a support, a stem fixed to the support and sliding in the aperture, an expansion spring reacting against the stem to depress the support, an offset on the support adapted to be engaged by the cam to elevate the support, a sleeve on the-support, a screw threaded rodextending into the sleeve, a nut engaging the stem to adjust the same, a foot pivoted on the lower end of the stem and provided with a rearward extension, a stem pivoted to the extension, a lug on the stem having an aperture through which the latter ing the aperture, a spring for holding the support normally depressed, a cam on the shaft to elevate-the support, a screw threaded stem slidable in the aperture, a nut en- 5 gaging the stem and seated in the recess, a

foot pivoted to the lower end of the stem and having a stop shoulder normally engaging the stern, a rearward extension on. the foot, 2, vertical stem pivoted to the exten- 10 sion, a Pug on the rod having an aperture through which the stem passes, a. shoulder on the stem, and a spring on the stem reacting between the lug and shoulder.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOMER 0. LA BATT. 

